1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to fish carrier devices, and more specifically to a fish sack used for the transport of larger fish such as salmon and steelhead by a wading or pedestrian fisherman.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a number of fish carrier devices or receptacles invented for the carrying or transport of fish, particularly by the wading or pedestrian fisherman. These vary in form and method from simple cord stringers where the fish is carried by hand, to specially designed evaporative-cooled, bag shaped, receptacles or creels with an attached shoulder strap, where the fish is carried with its weight supported over the fisherman's shoulder.
There is no previously known bag shaped carrier device for a wading or pedestrian fisherman specially designed to efficiently and comfortably transport larger and heavier fish such as salmon or steelhead. There are several creels invented for the wading fisherman to transport smaller size fish such as stream trout. U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,889 to Garland (1957) discloses a mesh fish bag with a clip device that attaches to the belt of a wading fisherman. U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,128 to Gutshall (1951) discloses an evaporative-cooled fishing creel with a strap for carrying over one shoulder. U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,188 to Anderson (1972) discloses an evaporative-cooled fish and game receptacle with a shoulder strap. All of these inventions are similar in that they are designed to transport several smaller size fish either alive or preserved in a moisture cooled. None of these inventions is specially designed to transport large and heavy fish such as salmon in a secure, balanced, and comfortable position over sometimes long walking distances and across rugged terrain such as steep hills and fallen trees.
The use of fish stringers constructed of braided nylon with a ring at one end and a needle shaped point at the opposite end are commonly deployed by salmon and steelhead wading fishermen to transport their catch. The fish is carried by threading the needle end of the stringer through a passage on one side of the fish gills and mouth, and then the stringer ring, and then grasping the free end of the stringer by the hand or attaching to a stick. This carry method poses several problems:
(a) One fish can weigh upwards of 20 pounds and can exceed 30 inches in length. This is a difficult and strenuous method of transport especially when several fish need to be carried at once and the substantial weight imparts considerable strain on the fisherman's hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder.
(b) This method soils and damages the fish since the fish is dangling unbalanced by a stringer threaded through its mouth and gills and sometimes dragged along the ground when too heavy a fish is transported, or adverse walking terrain such as steep hills need to be navigated.
It is clear that, with the increasing popularity of fishing for larger size fish, such as salmon and steelhead, there is a need for a better method for the wading or pedestrian fisherman to comfortably and efficiently transport these large and heavy fish.